Automatic lock slider for slide fasteners



Oct. 17, 1944.

w. MIKULAS arm.

AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed April 2, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E FORS Zas Qnd- QeSCer I, fies ATTORNEYS I I Illll l Z :EEEri w 5| Oct, 17, 194% W, MKKULAS ETAL AUTOMATIC LOCY SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 2, 1943 Patented Oct. 17, 1944 AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER FOR .SLIDE FASTENERS William Mikulas, West Brighton, Staten Island N. Y., and Lester vL. Jones, Oradell, N. J., assignors to Conmar Products Corporation,

Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 2,1943, Serial No. 481,534

10 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved automatic lock slider for slide fasteners.

Slide fasteners comprise two mating slide fastener stringers (tapes with mounted fastener elements) brought into and out of meshing or mating relation by the movement of a so-called slider through the slide channel of which the stringers slide or move. It is necessary to provide a suitable locking' device for the slider to prevent the stringers accidentally opening during use. Ascording to one type of lock slider. the locking device is made so'as to be entirely automatic in its locking operation. The common form of automatic lock slider embodies a locking member on the slider which is normally held in its locking position by a spring or its equivalent.

Our present invention centers about the provision of an automatic lock slider for slide fasteners which is operative without the use of any spring; the automatic lock slider of our present invention embodies a new principle and mode of operation which depends solely for its automatic function .upon the interaction between a locking member and the slide fastener stringers. The provision of such an automatic lock slider is the prime object of our present invention.

Ancillary objects of the invention which spring from the accomplishment of this. prime object are the provision of an automatic lock slider which embodies a construction of greater simplicity and one capable of simpler assembling operations when compared with automatic. lock sliders which depend on their operation upon the presence and functioning of a spring.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, our invention relates to the combination of elements in an automatic lock slider sought to be defined in the appended claims and described in the following specification illustrated by the appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of the automatic lock slider of the present invention taken 'in cross-section in the planes of the broken line ment employed in the forms of construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 4 is a schematic view explanatory of the operation of the structure of Figs. 1 to 4;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a modified form of construction taken in cross-section in the planes of the broken line 55 of Fig. 6, the tape and slide fastener elements, however, being shown in phantom;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the same taken in cross-section in the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a still further modification of the invention taken in the planes of the broken line 1-'l of Fig. 8 the. tape and slide fastener elements also being shown in phantom;

Fig. 8 is a rearelevational view of the sametaken in cross-section in the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 7

F.g. 9 is a side elevational view of still another modification taken in cross-section in the planes of the broken line 9-9 of Fig, 10, the tape and slide fastener elements being here omitted;

Fig. 10 is arear elevational view of the same taken in the planes of the broken line l0l0 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a top plan view form of construction.

Referring'now more in detail to the drawings and having reference first to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the invention is shown applied to a conven tional slide fastener comprising the slider S provided with the interior slide channel C and the two stringers s, s, the latter each comprising a beaded tape t with the spaced slide fastener element J, I mounted thereon, the said stringers being adapted to be brought into and out of meshing or mating relation by the up and down movement of the slider S through the slide channel C of which the stringers slide or move. The slide channel C is a Y-shaped channel as best shown in Fig. 2 through the stem-of which the fastener elements move when meshed on interengaged and through the Y branches of which the fastener elements move when they are disengaged, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. structure, the slider S comprises a bottom section 20 and a top section 22 which are secured together solely by being spot welded at their upper termini-24 and 26. The bottom section 20 comprises a body wall provided with the inturned opposite side flanges 28, and similarly the top section 22 comprises a body wall provided with the inturned opposite slide flanges 30. These two slider sections 20 and 22 as de- Of this last modified According to one form of known scribed define the interior Y-shaped slide chan-, nel C for the slide fastener stringers. Thus far the construction described is a conventional form of slide fastener. By moving the slider downwardly, the slide fastener is opened, and by moving the slider upwardly, the slide fastener is closed.

The automatic locking device for the slider comprises simply the locking member L consisting of a lever fulcrumed as at F on the slider and having both of its arms A and A projecting into the slider channel C, one arm A of the lever terminating in a locking tooth 32 and the other arm'A' terminating in a point of lever application 34. The tooth 32 is adapted to engage any one of the slide fastener elements 1, f of the stringer on the side of tooth 32, as is. clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, to lock the slider in position. The point of lever application 34 is adapted to be engaged by the slide fastener elements I, I after the manner best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, for moving the locking member L to its locking position in a. manner that will be presently described.

For mounting'the locking member L, the front slider section 22 is formed with an opening or window 36 in which the locking lever'L is positioned and is provided, in the constructional form under discussion, with a struck-out lug 38 the depending terminus of which forms a seat for the fulcrum F of the lever, as is best shown in Fig. 1. The lever L is rockable about the fulcrum F between the full line locking position and the dotted line unlocking position shown in Fig. l. The fulcrum F is spaced transversely from the slide channel C and lies between the locking tooth 32 and the point of applica- .tion 34, which latter projecting into the slide channel C are spaced a substantial distance one from the other longitudinally of the slider. The

locking lever L is also provided with a longitudinally arranged recess 40 adapted to receive and in which is movable the trurmions 42 of a pull tab 44 which is thus pendently attached to the lever L. The pull tab 44 normally hangs gravitationally in the full line position shown in Figs. 1 and'2; and this pull tab is movable to the dotted line position 44' for opening the slide fastener and to the dotted line position 44 for closing the slide fastener. The bottom section 20 of the slide S is in the constructional form under discussion provided with a depression in the form of a concavity 46, the center line of which is generally opposite the point of application 34, the arrangement being such that the slide fastener elements I, j are deflected into said depression 46 in the region where they engage the point of application 34 as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The locking lever L is moved to its locking position (shown in full lines in Fig. 1) by force exerted on the point of application 34 of the lever by the fastener elements] of the slide fastener. This force may be a direct pressure or a frictional force or a composite of both, the

- direct pressure exerted in the direction of the arrow 48 (Fig. 4) being due to the action of the slide fastener elements I. f against the point of application 34 which projects into the'slide channel C and the frictional force exerted in the direction of the arrow 33 (Fig. 4") being due to the sliding movement of the slide fastener elements 1, 1 relative to the point of application. To increase the pressure component of this force, the depression or concavity 46 is provided; with this depression the stringers bend out of their normal path and the slide fastener elements are deflected into the depression, and this deflection due to the natural resilience of the stringers causes the fastener elements to contact or engage the point of application 34 with an increased pressure. The frictional force component is also thereby increased; this frictional component is exerted as the slider moves incrementally in a downward or opening direction. The force thus applied rocks the lever L about the fulcrum F from the unlocking position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 (should the lever be in the unlocking position) to the locking position shown in full lines. The action of the locking member is, therefore, a rocking or rotation thereof about its fulcrum upon release of the slider pull 44 and upon the application of any force tending to move the slider to slide fastener open position. To unlock the slider and open the slide fastener, the pull tab 44 is pulled to the position 44' and the locking lever L is thereby rocked in its opposite direction to'the dotted line position (Fig. 1), thus disengaging the looking tooth. Upon continuing the pull on the pull tab 44, the slider moves downwardly and the point of application 34 freely rides over the fastener elements which it engages, thus resulting in the opening of the slide fastener. To close the slide fastener, the pull tab 44 is moved to its dotted line position 44 and upon continuing the pulling force, the slider S is moved upwardly thus closing the slide fastener, during which action the tooth 33 is out of engagement with (or ratchets over) the fastener elements f, I while the point of application 34 slips or rides over the elements I with which it contacts. Upon release of the pull tab, the looking member L may move to its locking position, or if not, is moved automatically to its locking position, or if not, is moved automatically to its locking position in the manner described.

The fulcrum F, the point of application 34 and the tooth 32 should be so relatively disposed that a large moment due either to the direct pressure or the force of friction, or both, be obtainable.

Another desideratum for, the placement of the fulcrum of the locking lever is that it be close enough to the stringers so that the locked slider may be easily unlocked especially when the latter is under stress; it has been found that the angle between the line of the stringer and the line which joins the pivot and locking tooth should preferably be less than 25. The actions of the forces of pressure and friction may become additive and it is, of course, advisable to so construct the slider as to obtain as full an efiect of both forces as possible. In the case where the fulcrum is transversely offset with respect to the slider channel, as in Figs. 1 and 2, both forces are active. In a case where the fulcrum is located near or close to the slider channel (as will be described hereinbelow) only the force of pressure is active. The depression or concavity 43, in addition to performing the described function, also provides reasonable manufacturing tolerances and compensates for wear of the lever point of erence characters.

in inserting thelocking memberL into the slider S through the front opening or window 38 (in the absence of the stringers), the pull 44 being attached to the locking member either before or tion of this automatic lock slider in which all the parts are the same as the structures shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and designated by similar reference characters, except that the depression or concavity 46 is omitted. We have found that if the depth dimension of the slider channel C is made somewhat larger than normal, sufllcient space is provided for the deflection or flexing of the stringers to produce the desired pressure action. Thus in Fig. 3 the depth of the slider channel C is so predetermined that there is provided the spaces 52, 52 on opposite sides of the fastener elements suflicient to permit the flexing and defiection indicated at 54.

In the modified structural form shown in Figs.

5 and 6, the structure of the slider S andthe stringers s, s are similar to those of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and are indicated by similar ref- In this structural form the locking lever L is loosely housed within the lug 56 usually provided in such sliders (the structure of Figs. 1 and 2 enables us to eliminate the use of such lugs), the said lever being thereby provided with a fulcrum area F and with the opposite arms A, A, the fulcrum in this case being not a fixed fulcrum. The leverarm A is pro-- vided with the terminal locking tooth 32', while the lever arm A is provided with a wing shaped terminus for its point of application 34', the same having the oppositely directed branches 58, 58.

With this structure the locking member is more effective due to the fact that the lever arm of the pressure applied at the point of application is longer, and also due to the fact that the branches 58, 58 are closer to the stringer tapes and are acted upon by larger areas of the fastener elements, which, as will be noted particularly by reference to Fig. 6, act upon the lever point of application in the Y branches of the slider channel. The recess 60 of the lever L, in which the slider pull 62 is mounted and moves, is provided with a cam surface 84 to help rock the locking lever about its fulcrum when the pull is operated toopen the fastener. The locking tooth 32 is provided with an inclined element engaging face 86 to insure'a positive locking action and yet make easy disengagement possible. The action or operation of this structural form is otherwise similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The assembling of the parts of the structure of elements of the stringers a manner clearly shown in Fig. 01 the drawings.

In the modified structural form shown in Figs.

- 7 and. 8, the locking lever L rocks about a fulcrum point F which is close to the slider channel 0 instead of being transversely displaced therefrom. The parts of the slider S and the stringers s, s are the same as or similar to those of Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings (except for the differences to be noted), and are indicated by similar reference characters. In this structural form the locking lever L has its lever arm A terminating in the locking tooth I32 and is provided with an upper lever arm A which terminates in a wing shaped point of application 34 having the opposed branches 12, I2 of a configuration as best shown in Fig. 8. These branches 12, b2 seat in the opposed recesses 14, 14 formed in the slider. section 22. The recesses in turn are formed with the fulcrum defining grooves 18,

a 16 in which seat nubs l8, 18 formed integrally at laterally and longitudinally over the area ofmovement of the engaging fastener elements I, f as best depicted in Fig. 8 of the drawings;

and thereby an effective force is produced. This also minimizes the effect of dimensional changes due to wear. The assembling of the parts of this structure of- Figs. '7 and 8 is essentially the same as that described in connection with Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.

Referring now to Figs. 9 to 11 of the drawings, we show the application of the invention to a die cast slider. This die cast slider S comprises the bottom section 88 and the top section 82, each cast in a separate die. The top section 82 has an integral neck portion 84 and a non-circular rivet or plug portion 88 which is received in the opening 88 in the bottom section 88 and there riveted; the non-circular shape of the rivet 88 and its opening 88 prevents relative rotation of the slider'sections. These slider sections provide the slider channel C. The locking lever LP has the lower arm A terminating in the locking tooth 80 and the upper arm A terminating in branch wings 82,82 which define the point of lever application. The slider section 82 is formed with the front opening 84 for receiving the locking Figs. 5 and 6 is accomplished in the following way: The slider is as described a twcpiece slider,

the lower and upper sections being welded together at their top termini. The locking member L' is put into place in the top. slider section 22 before the two slider sections are welded together, whereupon two small projections 68, 68 are swaged in the side walls of the window 18 in order to keep the locking member in place prior to the welding operation. After welding the "slider sections together and after threading the stringers through the slider, the locking member L is additionally supported in position by the fastener lever'L and is further formed with the recesses 86, 86 for seating the lever wings 82, 82. v The locking lever is supported by a lug 88 in the slider section 82 engaging the same at the point 488 and is also supported in a seat I02 in the recess 88 against which the wings 82, 82 bear. The bottom slider section has the depression I84. This locking member 113 is movable between the full and dotted line positions shown in Fig. 9 and operates in a manner similar to that described in connection with the preceding figures. The assembly of this slider is carried out by placing the locking member into the top slider section and by then riveting the slider sections together.

Comparing in general the structures of the diii'erent modifications, it may be pointed out 7 locking action. Thus in the structure of Figs. 1 to 4, the action is accomplished substantially wholly by a frictional force, since the force of pressure is not greatly offset with respect to the fulcrum. In the structure of Figs. 5 and 6 both a pressure component and a friction component are effective, the friction component being, however, larger than the pressure component. In the structure of Figs. '7 and 8, the pressure component is substantially the only active component, there being .practically no friction component because the pivot or fulcrum of the locking lever is located in or near the line of frictional force. In the structure of Figs. 9 and 11, both the pressure andfriction components are effective because the pivot or fulcrum of the locking lever is an appreciable distance above the point of application of the frictional force and is in a position to produce a large moment for the pressure force.

The construction and operation of the automatic lock slider of our present invention, the many advantages thereof and the many forms which it may take will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. It will be further apparent that many changes and rearrangements-may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

1. An automatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a slider channel for the slide fastener stringers and a locking member mounted in the slider, said locking member consisting of a two armed lever fulcrumed on the slider and having both of its arms projecting into the slider channel, one arm of the lever terminating in a locking tooth and the other arm of the lever terminating in a point of lever application, the fastener elements on said stringers engaging the point of lever application causing the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum and move the locking tooth into engagement with another fastener element on the stringers and thus automatically lock the slider, and means on said lever operative for rocking the lever in its opposite direction to disengage the locking tooth and move the slider to open position.

2. An automatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a slider channel for the slide fastener stringers and a locking member mountedin the slider, said locking member consisting of a two armed lever fulcrumed on the slider and having both of its arms projecting into the slider channel, one arm of the lever terminating in a locking tooth and the other arm of the lever terminating in a point of lever application spaced longitudinally of the slider a.

distance from said locking tooth, the fastener elements on said stringers engaging the point of lever application causing the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum and move the locking tooth into engagement with another fastener element on the stringers and thus automatically lock the slider, and a pull tab pending from said locking lever operative for rocking the lever in its opposite direction'to disengage the locking tooth and. move the slider to open position.

Ii.v An automatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a top section and a bottom section defining therebetween a slider channel for the slide fastener stringers and a locking member mounted in the top slider section, said locking member consisting of a two armed lever fulcrumed on the top slider section and having both of its arms projecting into the 10 slider channel, the lower arm of the lever terminating in a locking tooth and the upper arm of the-lever terminating in a point of lever application, the bottom section of the slider having a depression opposite the point of lever application, the slide fastener stringers being deflected into said depression and the fastener elements thereon engaging the point of lever applicationcausing the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum and move the locking tooth into engagement with another fastener element on the stringers and thus automatically lock the slider, and means on said lever operative for rocking the lever in its opposite direction to disengage the locking tooth and move the slider to open position.

4. An automatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a slider channel for the slide fastener stringers and a locking mem- .ber mounted in' the slider, said locking member consisting of a two armed lever fulcrumed on the slider at a point transversely spaced from said channel and having both of its arms projecting into the slider channel, the lower arm of the lever terminating in a locking tooth and the upper arm of the lever terminating in a point of lever application spaced longitudinally of the slider from said locking tooth, the fastener elements on said stringers engaging the point of lever application causing the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum and move the locking tooth into engagement with another fastener element on the stringers and thus automatically lock the slider, a longitudinal recess in said locking lever, and a pull tab pending from and movable in the recess of said locking lever operative for rocking the lever in its opposite direction to disengage the. locking tooth and move the slider to open position.

5. An automatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a Y shaped slider channel for the slide fastener stringers and a locking member mounted in the slider, said lockboth of its lever arms projecting into the slider channel, the lower arm of the lever consisting of a stem terminating in a locking tooth and the upper arm of the lever consisting of wings branching from said stem and terminating in a point of lever application, the fastener elements at the branches of the Y channel engaging the point of lever application causin the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum and move the locking tooth into engagement with other stringer fastener elements at the stem of the Y channel and thus automatically lock the slider, and means on said lever operative for rocking the leverein its opposite direction to disengage the Looking tooth and move the slider to open posi- 6. Anautomatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a top section and a bottom section defining therebetween a Y shaped slider channel for the slide fastener stringers and a locking member mounted in the top slider section, said locking member consisting of a wing assess? ment of the slide fastene stringers through said channel and deflected into said'depression responsive to a self-opening movement of the slider resulting in fastener elements at the branches of the Y channel engaging the point of lever application and causing the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum and move the locking tooth into engagement with other stringer fastener elements at the stem of the Y channel and thus automatically lock the slider, and a pull tab pending from said locking lever operative for rocking the lever'in its opposite direction to disengage the locking tooth and move the slider to open position.

7. An automatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a slider channel for the slide fastener stringers and a locking member mounted in the slider, the said slider having I an open front window into which the locking member is insertable and having a fulcrum seat for said member, said locking member consisting of a two armed lever fulcrumed on the slider seat and having both of its arms projecting into the slider channel, one arm of the lever terminating in a locking tooth and the other arm of the lever terminating in a point of leverapplication, the

fastener elements on said stringers engaging and moving past the point of lever application causing ber mounted in the slider, the saidv slider having a front window and a lug over said window, saidlocking member consisting of a two armed lever fulcrumed on said lug and having both of its arms projecting through said window and into the slider channel, one arm of the lever terminating in a locking tooth and the other arm of the lever terminating in a point of lever application, the fastener elements on said stringers engaging and moving past the point of lever application causing the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum the slide fastener stringers and a'locking memand move the locking tooth into engagement with another fastener element on the stringers and thus automatically lock the slider, and means attached to the lever for rocking the lever in its opposite direction to disengage the locking tooth and move the slider to open position.

9. 'An automatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a slider channel for the slide fastener stringers and a locking member mounted in the slider, said locking member consisting of a two armed lever fulcrumed on the'slider at a point adjacent said channel and having both of its arms projecting into the slider channel, the lower arm of the lever terminating in a locking tooth and the upper arm of the lever terminating in a pointof lever application, the fastener elements on said stringers engaging the point of lever application causing the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum and move the locking tooth into engagement with another fastener element on the stringers-and thus automatically lock the slider, and means pending from said locking lever operative" for rocking the lever in its opposite direction to disengage the locking tooth and move the sliderto open position.

10. An automatic lock slider for slide fasteners comprising a slider having a slider channel for her mounted in the slider, said locking member consisting of a two armed lever'fulcrumed on the slider and having both of its lever arms pro- Jecting into the slider channel, one arm of the lever terminating in a locking tooth and the other arm of the lever terminating in a pointof lever application, the fastener elements on said stringers engaging the point of lever application causing the locking lever to rock on its fulcrum and move the locking tooth into engagement with another fastener element on' the stringers and thus automatically lock the slider,

a longitudinal recess in said locking lever, and a pull tab pending from and movable up and down the recess of said locking lever operative for rocking the lever in its opposite direction to disengage the locking tooth,'and move the slider to open position.

WILLIAM MIKULAS. mam L. JONES. 

